Sharyna Scott
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Year: Sophomore
Major: Philosophy
Email: admsstu@westmont.edu
AIM: sharynawestmont
Hobbies/Interests: reading, drawing, traveling, walking on the beach, spending time with family and friends
About Westmont: Westmont is the perfect fit for me. Ever since I visited the campus, I knew it was where God wanted me. With a beautiful location, a great community and excellent classes, I have come to see it as my second home. In just the one year I have been here, I’ve had many memorable experiences as I met amazing people and deepened my faith. I’m excited to be here another year as I live out the best years of my life.
Bio: I hail from San Diego, California where I’ve lived my entire life until I moved to Santa Barbara. I am the oldest of four kids in our family of six (I love my family!). I am majoring in philosophy on the pre-law track; I hope to create my own law firm someday. But until then, I spend my time studying amongst the gorgeous nature on campus, singing my heart out for God in Gospel Choir, and hanging out in dorms with friends.
Random Fact: Purple is my favorite color.
Blogs
Sharyna's Eighth Blog
April 15, 2008
Hello again! This past weekend was crazy busy for me. There were a lot of things going on at Westmont (you can probably already tell from the website). On Friday, President Bebe had his Inauguration Ceremony in Chapel and it was really cool to see the Westmont community come together in celebration of our new president. I watched as many of my present and past professors paraded down the aisle in their cap and gowns. The Westmont Choir sang and the Westmont Orchestra played amazingly. The next day was the Inaugural Gala, which included dinner (and amazing chocolate cake!) a swing dance competition, and regular dancing.
That was Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, I had the privilege to be a part of Redemption History III: Ecclesia, which is the third installment of a three part drama directed by my friend Zak Landrum. Many people were involved in the play, including Gospel Choir, which is how I was able to be a part of it. The play follows the history of the church from the Pentecost to Revelation. I got to play a martyred saint and was covered from head to toe in white paint and baby powder. Needless to say, Gospel Choir looked like a bunch of ghosts roaming around campus. I might have scared a few people on my way back to my room, because when I saw myself in the mirror, I was a little freaked out myself.
It was so much fun working with everyone. Westmont has some truly talented people here that I am sure will go far in whatever they do. This was my first role in a college theater production and I learned a lot about how much goes into plays. Everyone involved is important to the whole show, and we all got know each other better while working on the project. From what I have heard, the audience loved Redemption History, Zak’s play was a hit.
This week, the theater continues to thrive on campus with the start of the Westmont Fringe Festival. I will be going to see the first night of performances tonight. I am excited to see the different adaptations of stories by Hans Christian Anderson and Nikolai Gogol. I am especially excited to see ‘Mind of a MerGirl’ a play by one of the actors in Redemption History, Nolan Hamlin. Those that know me know that The Little Mermaid is my favorite Disney movie, so I am excited to see ‘Mind of a Mer Girl’. The actual story written by Anderson is very different from the Disney version, but I like it. (although the ending could have been better - read the story and you’ll see what I mean). A lot of things are going on at Westmont right now, and it’s hard to believe that there are only about two weeks of school left. Before we know it, it will be summer. I can’t wait.
Sharyna's Seventh Blog
March 17, 2008
New changes are coming to Westmont, and I don’t just mean the change of weather. Westmont has been working on a master plan that will add to our already beautiful campus. The plan has just been approved by the county of Santa Barbara, so construction on campus will begin soon. I’m pretty excited to see the plans they have! They will first be redoing our art center and redesigning the gym. They will also be adding balconies to the gym and redoing the bleachers. You can look at some videos and photos of the plan right here (at the bottom of this page): http://www.westmont.edu/admissions/
The only sad thing about all of this is I probably won’t be able to see it come to reality while being a student here, because this process will take a while. But that is good news to those of you who are planning on applying to our school since you will get to be the first ones to use the buildings!
They also plan to build a chapel sanctuary where our weekly chapels will take place. Currently, we hold chapel in the gym, so it will be really nice when they can complete construction on the new chapel. I also hear they are planning on adding a new dorm to campus. These additions to campus will result in new roads and pathways on campus that will add to the many pathways we already have.
Though the layout of Westmont will be changing, the atmosphere won’t. We will still have an enrollment of 1300 students. These new buildings will provide great resources for students here. Even if I don’t get to see the final result, I will still come back as an alum. The college has been working on these plans for many years…some of the buildings we will be constructing were planned back in 1976! It’s great that the school is finally making those plans a reality which future students will be able to enjoy.
Sharyna's Sixth Blog
March 4, 2008
So, we have begun another month and it is evident that spring is here at Westmont. A couple of weeks ago, the students and faculty were lamenting over the rain and cold here on campus. I must say, living in Santa Barbara makes one spoiled. You get so used to the beauty and sunshine that when it rains, (as it should - a good shower every once in a while is needed) you immediately realize how much you take the Santa Barbara sun for granted. So now that the sun is out and flowers are blooming, we can truly appreciate warmth and beauty after going through the cold rain.
As I walk to work or to class, I have had to fight the urge to just sit in the grass and soak up the sun for as long as I want. Many students at Westmont have taken advantage of the great weather lately, and when I can, I do too.
With the onset of spring on campus, lots of things are coming up, such as Spring Sing, mission trips with Potter's Clay, Spring Break in the City, and Student for Racial Equality and Justice. Since spring break is coming up, a lot of students will be using their break from classes to minister to others. Potter's Clay will be going to Ensenada, Spring Break in the City will be going to San Francisco, and Racial Equality and Justice will be going to Mississippi. Here at Westmon, there are plenty of opportunities to serve others. That is one of the strengths of our school.
Another great ministry going on right now is Prayer Week. It started on Sunday night at 10 pm, and all week, every hour, someone will be praying in our Prayer Chapel. It is a great experience. Our school did it last year, and I'm really glad that we are doing it again. Many students have signed up, including myself, to be part of an awesome event of prayer. Prayer is a powerful thing, and doing it as a community is even better.
Sharyna’s Fifth Blog
February 22nd, 2008
Well, it is the fifth week of classes, and believe me, I am feeling it. Papers and tests abound this week, as the semester picks up the pace. I am definitely staying busy, so I look forward to the four day weekend we have coming up in a week. Because I am being kept busy with classes, work and activities, time is going by very fast for me. I need to stop for a minute, take some time and just breathe. If you are a senior reading this, you may be pretty busy yourself right now with college applications, activities and tough classes during your last year in high school. I really think it’s important that we sit back and enjoy life. That may sound weird, but think about it. We live in a very fast-paced world and it is very easy to miss things. We focus on going from one place to the next in the easiest and most efficient way.
When we live like that, it is inevitable that we will miss something and then exclaim “Where did the time go?” or “Time goes by so fast!?” But is that really the case? Time moves in the same way and at the same pace it always has, we just don’t notice it because we are so busy or preoccupied. I don’t know about you, but I can’t stay busy for too long or I lose my mind. So, from time to time, I like to find what I heard a pastor call ‘a simple place’. It is a place where you put aside all the preoccupations and stress of life and just relax. My simple place is here on campus (there are many quiet, beautiful, hidden places to find at Westmont) and it really helps me to balance out my life as a college student.
In my simple place, I’ll have devotions with God, or write in my journal or just listen to calming music. And I can honestly say that without God’s peace, I wouldn’t be able to relax or find balance. We need to rest from time to time, we are not Energizer bunnies that keep going and going. So I’m a big fan of simple places and I encourage others to try it - it can be a big help.
A special note to seniors: it is your last year of high school, ENJOY IT. If there are activities for your senior class, do them. Go to football games, dances, and pep rallies. Take pictures of your friends, teachers, classes or halls, because this is hopefully a year of great memories. If you stay busy, before you know it, they will be calling your name for you to receive your diploma. You are coming to the end of a big part of life and soon you’ll be starting a new one, so stop and appreciate your last year of high school.
Sharyna’s Fourth Blog
January 14th, 2008
Well, we have started the second semester and I have a lot on my plate this time. It may sound like I’m not too busy, since I am only taking 17 units this semester, but sadly that is not the case (though I wish it were true). I’m excited about the classes I am taking this semester which include two philosophy courses: Philosophy of Mind and Modern and Contemporary Philosophy, two religious studies courses: History of World Christianity and Christian Doctrine, and lastly a Hip Hop P.E. class. Inevitably, I will be doing a lot of reading, writing, and serious thinking during this semester so I figured why not have some fun in a Hip Hop dance class? It will definitely provide an opportunity for me to just let loose and relieve some stress through dance two times a week.
You may think to yourself - why is she taking two philosophy classes? That has been the usual response these past few days. People ask, “Are you a philosophy major?” To which I gladly respond “Yes, however did you know?” I think I’ve exhausted how much I love philosophy in my earlier blog so I won’t do it in this one, but if you haven’t read it, feel free to do so now so you can see why I’m simultaneously taking two courses in it.
It’s pretty helpful for me that I know most of my professors this year. I have met all except for one of them personally before signing up for their classes. I think the fact that I met them before signing up for their classes is one of the main reasons why I decided to take the classes they offer. Let me just say now that the professors here at Westmont are very friendly people who want to get to know their students. They are always open to discuss issues and usually encourage students to come by their office if they need any help. That sort of attitude makes a student feel a lot more comfortable, knowing that your professors care not only how well you do in their class but also about you as a student and how you are learning and growing in life. I don’t know about you, but I see that as a valuable part of anyone’s education.
Sharyna’s Third Blog
December 20th, 2007
So the semester is almost over. I can’t believe this is the last week of classes!! It all flew by so fast. We have finals coming up next week, and oddly enough I’m not stressing out about it. It could be because that week has not arrived yet and so the seriousness of it hasn’t hit me yet. Or it could be that I’m choosing not to fall back into old habits and stress myself out by worrying and obsessing about tests. Because that’s all they are: tests. They will not determine the rest of my life, even though there are little voices telling me they do. Next semester, I will not think about their level of difficulty. There’s no point on worrying right now, because it gets nothing done. If any of you are stressing about finals or papers or deadlines for applications, please don’t stress or worry. Worrying in itself does nothing at all. I think it’s a waste of time.
This semester my favorite class has definitely been philosophy. I liked it so much I decided to major in it! Just kidding, I decided to major in philosophy last semester, but now I have actually declared it. Philosophy is a subject that often gets misunderstood I think. Or maybe it’s just my way of thinking. When people ask me what I am planning to major in and I reply philosophy I always get the ‘look’ and then they say Yeah, I don’t understand that stuff. I guess I’m one of the random people who do understand it. I not only understand it, I love it. Finally my desire to hear arguments and participate in them makes sense. I used to debate with my dad all the time in middle school. I still do now, so I guess it wasn’t just teen angst. But seriously I love to argue. It probably sounds weird, but that’s me.
Right now I’m in Philosophical Reflections with Professor Taylor. This is basically an intro to philosophy course. Classes are always interesting though, because our professor usually starts class with either a song from itunes, or a video from youtube that ends up having something to do with what we will talk about for the day. We heard music from Beethoven and Black Eyed Peas and seen clips from the Matrix (the ultimate philosophy movie, chances are if you like the Matrix movies, you will like philosophy) and Doug (remember that cartoon from when you were a kid that came on Nickelodeon?) just to name a few. For me theclasses are great,I love the abstract thinking and philosophies of Socrates, Aristotle, Locke, Kant, and the many other philosophers. If you are even remotely liking what I’m saying right now, you might want to read a book called Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder.
Ok. I’ll stop blabbing about philosophy now. Just in case you’re wondering my other classes this semester include Astronomy (oooh) Drawing I (aah) and Psychology. These classes are good to but I think you know from the two previous paragraphs where my heart truly lies. But now that I think about it, I am a bit saddened that this is my last week of classes. It’s been a good semester, classes were great. But I’m okay with it coming to an end, I need a break too. One last week and then it’s the cheer-filled season that comes with candy canes, crazy shoppers, and Christmas. Happy Holidays everyone!
Sharyna’s Second Blog
November 2nd, 2007
We recently had a progressive dinner with our dorm section. I live in Armington, a dorm that consists of five buildings. The building I live in is Armington B and on this particular night our lounge was turned into a café. Our section has three floors, two of them are for girls and one is for guys. We all got to dress up, and come to the café for a ‘classy dinner’ which consisted of gourmet hamburgers. It was pretty fun. I got to meet a lot of people that live in my section that I had not met before.
Westmont is a place where you can do a lot of exploring. A friend of mine and I went out to see what we could find and we found a deserted set of monkey bars and tree that’s perfect for sitting on. We ended up staying there for hours. We just chilled looking out at the clear stars, enjoying our intentional procrastination. I definitely plan to make more excursions to this tree. It’s like a hidden treasure on campus that not many people know about.
A few weeks ago I went to my philosophy professor’s house for dinner with Intercultural Programs. He made this amazing minestrone soup. It was great to have a home cooked meal. There were about twenty people who came and our table conversation consisted of favorite YouTube videos. Good times.
Sharyna’s First Blog
October 1st, 2007
I’m so glad to be back on campus. I didn’t realize how much I would miss the ‘Mont’. With a new year comes new faces, new classes, and new schedules. One thing I’m really excited about this year is Gospel Choir. You may have already read in my bio that I am part of Gospel Choir, and I am so excited since over one hundred people showed up for our first rehearsal! We got to perform at open mic night which was cool because the crowd loved us. We’ve got a lot more ‘gigs’ lined up and the best one will be during Spring Sing, the most anticipated event of the year.
I’m loving my astronomy class. We get to use the new Keck telescope that was just installed in our observatory. I was amazed the first night when our class went out and our professor pointed out the many constellations. Now I can figure out where the North Star is - something I’ve never been able to do before this class (ah, the joys of a Westmont education). And when we use the telescope, the stars will be so much more beautiful, since our telescope is one of the best in the state.
I am in a new dorm this year (shout out to Armington B3!) and it’s great. My dorm section’s theme is the world of games, and my dorm suite is Monopoly. We also have Life, Candyland, and Clue. Our Resident Assistant turned our lounge into the domain of Twister. Of course, we have and play all of the said games in our lounge, which is a great way to get to know each other.
I live right next to the art center, a place I visit frequently, since I love art. The cool thing about our art center is the exhibits. Right now we have a Rouault exhibit, called Guerre, and it’s just amazing to look at. For you art lovers out there, imagine living right next to an exhibit filled with art from famous artists of the past and present.
I have fun in my classes and my dorm - life at Westmont is great!